Karaka 2006 vendor feedback

February 14, 2006

The Zabeel-Miss Power Bird colt, parading for John Messara among others. The colt was sold by Cambridge Stud for $1.6 million to Graeme Rogerson.

Photo by: Alex Martin

We asked several vendors who sold yearlings at the 2006 New Zealand National Yearling Sales series for their comments on the state of the market, and their own results. These comments were gathered on the second day of the Select Sale:

"We're very happy with the sale – it's nice to see the battlers kick a goal occasionally!
"Interest in Singalong's sister was very good, we could see demand for well-bred, athletic fillies and we would have been happy with $250,000 for her.
"We're also happy with where all our yearlings are going."

"We had two Cape Cross fillies and expected to sell them for $50,000 to $60,000 each. We've sold one for $50,000 so we're below budget.
"There's not much depth in the buying bench, and buyers seem that much pickier this year. Several New Zealand trainers have told us they have no orders."

"Nice horses are selling well, but it's too up and down. We need not to offer so many horses, and have more even quality.
John, who is also a well-respected vet, adds "I'm impressed by the physical types at the sales. The standard is exceptional."

"There are too many horses overall, and selections for the three sales should be done with equal emphasis on type and pedigree. The filly I passed in at the Premier Sale is a good example. She shouldn't have been there and someone should have told me to withdraw her.
"The overall quality of mares is just not good enough."
Geoff does not support calls for breeders to sell exclusively in New Zealand. "People should be able to decide where to sell. It is the right of owners to decide where to sell their horses – certain horses will be better placed in certain markets."

"It's the same old story: the Premier Sale was strong for good horses. It held up extremely well.
"At the Select Sale we need more buyers with $30,000 or $40,000 to spend. Instead we seem to be getting $20,000 to $30,000 for our horses."
[Eleven of The Oaks' 19 yearlings sold at the Select Sale made less than $30,000.]

"The Premier Sale was a good sale for us. We passed four which we don't like to do – we'd set the reserves too high.
"Big colts have sold well at Select, fillies not so well. Buyers are finding it hard to get what they want."

"If you've got what buyers want, the money is there. The Premier catalogue was a bit light – we don't have enough proven stallions.
"I'm happy enough with my results, it's been an okay sale for me. You have to be very careful to assess accurately what the market wants.
"It was very good to see the Japanese buying. We need to have as international a buying bench as possible.
"The middle market is still dropping – it has been for two years."

"We sold five for almost $200,000 at Select and are taking two home, so we're happy, We're thrilled to see Postponed average $50,000 at Select.
"I wish the Kiwi buying bench was stronger, you needed two overseas buyers on your horse to get a good price. Full marks to NZB, they did their best to get a buying bench here.
"It's still a tricky market to negotiate, you have to select your horses carefully."